Can’t choose? Here are some of the 2017 best-selling UAD plugins

Now we’re into March, we’re into the final month to take advantage of the latest amazing deal from Universal Audio – claim a free UAD2 Satellite when you buy an Apollo rack interface.

Until the end of this month, when you put the incredible sound quality and UAD2 processing power of an Apollo in your studio, you can grab even more power for your plugins with a satellite:

Buy an Apollo 16 or an Apollo 8p and a Satellite Thunderbolt Octo is yours

Take home an Apollo 8 Duo or Quad and receive a Satellite Thunderbolt Quad

Put an Apollo Firewire in your studio and you’ll be sent Satellite Firewire Quad

That covers the power, but what about the plugins? Included with your interface is the ‘Realtime Analog Classics Plus bundle‘. This bundle gives you a great introduction into the world of UAD plugins – with classic preamps, compressors and equalisers all present and correct, and with a channel strip, reverb, delay and bass enhancement taken care of as well.

The best UAD plugins?

Of course, part of the appeal of the UAD platform is the vast array of professional quality plugins that are available – from incredible recreations of classic hardware, to modern, problem-solving solutions that can be just the thing to fix your mix.

With so many plugins in the range, it can be difficult to choose exactly which ones to go for in which order. Obviously, there will be some you just want as you tailor your plugin collection to your specific requirements, but, beyond the specifics, how can you decide which ones to go for?

Well, let’s turn to the wisdom of the crowd. Universal Audio have given us the list of their best-selling UAD plugins of 2017. While popular may not always equal best, it does give us a good starting point to take a look at some of our favourite UAD plugins, and possibly some of the plugins you should look at first.

EP-34 Tape Echo

A classic unit that was central to the sound of so many famous recordings, the EP-34 tape delay can take you from subtle thickening to psychedelic weirdness.

Korg SDD-3000

From vintage tape delay, to a modern classic, the Korg SDD-300 is a hugely flexible tool that can take the simplest of sounds and turn it into something dramatic.

SSL 4000E Channel Strip Collection

One channel strip to rule them all? With preamp modelling, filtering, 4-band eq, compression and expansion in one plugin, one of these on each channel might be the only plugin you need…

bx_subsynth

Whether you use it to turn a bassline into a beast, or just need to add some low-end back to save some bass-light mixes, the bx_subsynth is the tool to turn to.

Manley Voxbox

If you know pro audio, chances are you know the reputation Manley have. Unfortunately, not many of us can afford to put the hardware in our studios, let alone multiple instances. Fortunately, we have the UAD Manley Voxbox…

Empirical Labs EL-8 Distressor

One of the professional audio world’s most popular compressors, the UAD EL-8 Distressor puts the character and squishing power of the hardware in your DAW.

API 2500 Bus Compressor

I love this plugin, it’s become my first choice for mix compression duties. And, hey, any unit that says ‘Thrust’ on it can’t be bad!

SPL Transient Designer

Can’t quite get that snare to sit just right? Want to get something to stick its head above the mix parapet without just making it louder? The SPL Transient Designer is the hammer for that particular nail.

Marshall Legends Bundle

From classic ‘Bluesbreaker’ crunch, to the gain of the modern Silver Jubilee series, the Marshall Legends bundle not only gives you great guitar tones, but can be just the thing for vocals and synths. Tori Amos fan? Run a harpsichord through it…

Chandler Curve Bender

An acclaimed recreation of the circuit that went across the mixes of some of the world’s most famous recordings, the UAD Chandler Curve Bender is what you want for those final tonality tweaks on your mix bus, or any other tone-shaping duties for that matter!

If you have any questions about any of the Universal Audio range, please don’t hesitate to get in touch or call into your local store. Our UA experts can talk through what your needs are, and find the right gear for you.